Ryan Cleary: Hacking suspect charged with five offences

Ryan Cleary, 19, was today charged with five offences under the Criminal Law Act and Computer Misuse Act, including an alleged hacking attack against the UK's Serious Organised Crime Agency, Scotland Yard said.

A British teenager was today charged with carrying out a hacking attack against the website of the UK's Serious Organised Crime Agency.

Ryan Cleary, 19, is also accused of launching attacks on the websites of music bodies the British Phonographic Industry and the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry.

He will appear in custody at City of Westminster Magistrates Court tomorrow charged with a total of five offences under the Criminal Law and Computer Misuse Acts, Scotland Yard said.

Last night, his mother Rita said the first she knew about the accusations was when the police and FBI swooped on their unassuming home in ­Wickford, Essex, to arrest him.

Stunned Rita, 44 – who suffers from agoraphobia – said last night: “Ryan lives his life online.

“I thought he was playing computer games in his room. I can’t believe it. He rarely left the house.

“I asked him what he was doing and he said he was playing games. Maybe I was naive to believe him.”

Cleary’s brother, Mitchell, 22, added: “It’s shocking. I have not got a clue what’s happening. He’s not the sort to do anything mad.

“He stays in his room, you’ll be lucky if he opens the blinds. I think someone has a grudge against him.”

Cleary was last night being quizzed at a Central London police station.

He was arrested after weeks of intelligence gathering, and days after LulzSec claimed it brought down the US Central Intelligence Agency’s website. Met e-crimes officers seized his computer in Monday’s raid.

A spokesman said: “Searches led to the examination of a ­significant amount of material.” Cleary could now face ­extradition to the US.

Neighbour Dorothy Rounce told how she heard the raid. She said: “I looked out and saw a big car driving away with him in it.”

Soca temporarily took its website offline after it was hacked on Monday. LulzSec said it was ­responsible.

The murky group has also claimed it breached security at Nintendo and Sony. It was believed to have initially targeted only US broadcasters, including PBS and Fox, and gaming firms.

But it recently threatened to break into government websites and leak secret documents.

The group last night distanced itself from Cleary. It said: “Clearly the UK police are so desperate to catch us that they’ve arrested someone who is, at best, mildly ­associated with us. Lame.”